First published between 1984 and 1986, the three books of The Fionavar Tapestry (The Summer Tree, The Wandering Fire and The Darkest Road) frequently appear on lists of the top fantasy series of all time. Guy Gavriel Kay’s trilogy has been quoted as a key influence on many later writers. No wonder, as Kay had unique access to the font of modern fantasy: in 1974 he was retained by the Tolkien estate to assist Christopher Tolkien in the editorial construction of The Silmarillion. The Fionavar Tapestry emerged a decade later but though Locus magazine termed it ‘the essence of High Fantasy,’ Kay determinedly set out to explore what could be achieved in the genre beyond Tolkien.

Stephen King’s ‘American fantasy epic’ is one of the most celebrated post-apocalyptic novels of our time. It is the story of a small group, survivors of a super flu, and their quest to found a new society out of the ashes of the old while at the same time confronting a nearly omnipotent, omniscient supernatural foe.

This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of the publication of one of the last, seminal works of the Golden Age of Science Fiction: Robert A Heinlein’s 1966 Hugo Award-winning masterpiece. The Moon is a Harsh Mistress is an account of the Lunar Colony revolt against Terran overlords. As in much of Heinlein’s work, the science in this novel is a portal for debate about society and man’s place in it, his ethical responsibilities as a citizen and whether a perfect society can be created from human imperfection.